The former deputy first minister of Scotland was poised to become its third leader in just over a year after taking charge of the crisis-hit state Scottish National Party on Monday.
John Swinney, who led the SNP two decades ago, was the only candidate to replace First Minister Hamza Yousaf as party leader.
Scottish leader says he will not resign amid fallout from decision to end power-sharing deal
The SNP has been in turmoil for a long time First Minister Nicola Sturgeon She abruptly stepped down last year amid a campaign finance investigation that ultimately led to criminal charges against her husband.
Swinney, 60, who joined the party at the age of 15, will seek to bring stability to the SNP as it fights off attempts by opponents to weaken it in the run-up to UK-wide parliamentary elections later this year.
Newly elected leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) John Swinney delivers his acceptance speech at the Advanced Research Center (ARC) at the University of Glasgow on Monday, May 6, 2024, after being confirmed as the new leader of the SNP. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)
Upon being named party leader, Swinney said, “Polarization of politics is not good for our country.” “I will reach out to anyone willing to join us in good faith and seek agreements that serve our country well. We need to stop yelling at each other and talk. More than that, really. “We need to listen. As First Minister, I will do exactly that.”
Joseph announced his resignation last week after a political miscalculation in which he ousted the Green Party from the ruling coalition of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government. The SNP is one seat short of a majority in the local parliament, with 63 of the 128 voting seats, so it needs to form a partnership with at least one opposition party.
The pro-independence SNP was weakened by a campaign finance scandal and divisions over transgender rights, but was ultimately brought down by Joseph’s decision to oust the Greens over differences over climate change targets. Joseph was unable to persuade other parties in the Scottish Parliament to support his minority government.
Faced with the prospect of two no-confidence votes scheduled, Youssef stepped down rather than be forced to resign.
Yusuf will remain First Minister until his replacement is chosen. Swinney is expected to be selected for that position later this week.
Swinney thanked Youssef for serving with “grace and honor” and said that “his moral leadership on the Gaza issue has been a light in a very dark time.”
Joseph won a hard-fought campaign to take over the party after Sturgeon, who was First Minister for eight years, unexpectedly resigned in February 2023.
About a month later, Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, the party’s chief executive, was arrested as police investigated how £600,000 ($750,000) earmarked for the Scottish independence campaign was spent.
Sturgeon and former party treasurer Colin Beattie were later arrested and interrogated, but were released without being charged with any crime. Murrell was charged with embezzlement last month.
Swinney served as Sturgeon’s deputy First Minister during her tenure as leader of Scotland, but stepped down after she left the post.
Conservative leader Douglas Ross said that because of Swinney’s past he would not be able to bring the change that Scotland needs.
Ross said, “John Swinney was involved with the disgraced Nicola Sturgeon and his fingerprints are on many of her policy failures and cover-ups.”
Swinney promised to lead a centre-left government focused on the economy, jobs, cost of living, the National Health Service, schools, public services and the “climate crisis”.
Swinney said he would make his case to convince people of the need for Scottish independence, which voters rejected in 2014. He cited Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis, which he blamed British politicians in LondonBeing bad for Scotland.
“They demonstrate why Scotland needs independence to make its own decisions and create its own best future,” he said. “If someone is pro-independence in Scotland and they want Scotland to be independent, there is only one political party that will ever do anything and that is the Scottish National Party.”
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Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar echoed Ross’ comments, saying that “the SNP are offering even more than that.”
“John Swinney has been at the center of this incompetent government for 17 years and has been at the center of the SNP for 40 years,” Sarwar said. “John Swinney’s record is one of failures.”
